The Black Princess
by gilmorekitten
Summary: Grace wasn't what any of them had expected. Saved by Sirius before she ever came to Hogwarts, she grew up a proper Black Lady and was trained by the family alongside her best friend and sister. Now her brand of crazy is both feared and adored.
1. Encountering Lupin

Remus Lupin was actively scouring the Gryffindor table, looking for Lily and James' daughter. He was still thrown by the fact that he had found out Sirius had been out of prison for several years now and had never bothered to contact him. And wouldn't speak to him now.

He frowned when he realized he couldn't find her and turned to search the other three tables. He found her at the last table he looked at but didn't know it was her. All he saw was a teen girl that was beautiful, of course. She had black hair that hung down in ringlet curls and appeared to end just below her shoulder blades. He couldn't see the color of her eyes from where he sat but, considering she looked slightly deadly even though she was shorter than everyone that surrounded her, he wouldn't be surprised if they looked equally disconcerting.

He turned to Severus Snape. "Severus, who is that girl in your house?"

The man appeared to know exactly who he was speaking of without looking but still tilted his head to follow Remus' gaze down his house's table. When his gaze ended at the girl, the dark haired man frowned. "For your own good, don't go there. That's Grace Potter-Black. She's heiress to the Potter and Black families and more well known as the Black Princess. Many think she is mentally unstable."

"Why?" Remus frowned at that. How could James and Lily's daughter be anything but pure, wonderful innocence.

"Wait for someone to piss her off. There's always someone wiling to provide entertainment for those of us smart enough to avoid her wrath." Severus seemed both entirely certain of this fact and totally uncaring of it.

"You're scared of a student?" Remus raised his eyebrow and glanced at the other teachers close enough to hear what they were talking about. They all seemed to share the slight look of fear.

Only Dumbledore seemed to grimace in distaste.

"That one, yes." The Potions Master agreed. And Remus was thrown.

"Are those her friends?"

"No." Severus said shortly.

"Okay then, who are?"

"Grace doesn't have friends. Not in the sense that you would understand. Those surrounding her are the people she trusts. Loosely put you could call them friends. But if she had to hurt one or even kill one….she would do it heartlessly if at least painlessly."

Remus looked horrified by that knowledge. "W-what?!" He spluttered.

He was loud enough to draw attention from many of the students. Including the icy green gaze of one Grace Potter-Black.

Grace heard the exclamation from the head table and turned to look to see what was happening. She was both regretful and happy to be back at Hogwarts.

She liked seeing her friends, because she did consider them such regardless of what others thought, but she missed her family and the much more fun training she was able to partake in at home.

Hogwarts had wards against the Dark Arts.

They also tended to frown on violence not that it had ever stopped Grace from meting out punishment to the idiots that deserved it.

She frowned at the sight at the head table. Their housemaster, Severus Snape, was clearly warning the newest Defense teacher against starting something with her. That was a good thing. She really hated having to embarrass teachers. Especially the new ones.

However, the man he was warning seemed frustrated by something and it wasn't hard to gather that it was both about her and who she was.

Grace picked up her water and sipped it before saying, "Daphne. Find out everything you can about him. No stone left unturned. Draco, what the hell is his name?"

"Remus Lupin." Came the soft reply as her cousin stared at her worriedly, knowing she would recognize the name.

"Oh really?" She smirked and withdrew her compact mirror. She opened it and touched the surface lightly. "Sirius Black."

Her father, through blood adoption and simple regard, took only seconds before his face appeared in the mirror. "Hello, poppet. Kill someone already?"

The third year looked quite unimpressed with his question and rolled her eyes. She turned the mirror so he would be able to see the new teacher. "Recognize him, daddy dearest?"

A snort at the endearment and then a growl in recognition had her smirking and everyone around her more than a bit concerned.

While no one wanted to deal with an angry Sirius Black, they wanted to deal with an angry Grace even less. And if something upset Sirius, it was bound to make Grace willing to murder in cold blood.

She calmly pulled the mirror back to her. "He seemed a bit frustrated when Sev warned him about me. He's our new Defense teacher."

Another growl was heard, this time a bit louder. "What do you want me to do, poppet?"

"Nothing yet. Just giving you guys some warning. Have to go, though. Draco looks about ready to explode."

She signed off the mirror without giving him a chance to say goodbye and looked at her cousin. "Calm down, dragon. It wouldn't do to explode at the feast. We will wait for later and strike when the iron is cold. When it is least expected."

Remus didn't have to wait long to see what Severus meant about people pissing off the heiress.

It was as he was walking across the grounds that he saw it.

They were clearly on their way back from Herbology when another young man, this one with red hair and freckles, approached Grace and her circle swiftly.

"Potter. Done any dark magic lately?" He snapped hatefully.

"Weasley. We go through this at least once a month. Do you really need to be laid back up in the hospital wing before you get it through your thick skull to leave Grace alone?" The Italian looking boy asked sarcastically.

"Shut the hell up, Zabini. No one was speaking to you. Or is Potter too much of a coward to fight for herself?"

It happened so fast that Remus almost couldn't keep up. A knife was in her hand and then a second later Weasley was holding onto his bleeding arm and had the dagger embedded to the hilt in his shoulder.

Grace walked forward, gracefully to match her name, and smirked at the redhead. "Like Blaise said. At least once a month you try to be much bigger than you are. Remember your place Weasel." She twisted the knife a bit then yanked it out. She held it out to the one that had spoken, Blaise Zabini, and he cast a cleaning charm on it as he took it and put it in his bag for her.

Then Blaise offered her his arm and the circle of Slytherins continued on their way to the castle without any other incident.

Perhaps it was simply because of the seeming hatred she held for the youngest Weasley male, but Remus was more than a bit surprised to see her less than a week later without the company of any of her Slytherin circle and, instead, sitting at Ravenclaw table with several others. He saw Hufflpuffs: Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott, and Cedric Diggory; Ravenclaws: Luna Lovegood, Padma Patil, Terry Boot; and Gryffindors: Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Fred Weasley, George Weasley and Neville Longbottom. Most surprising were the three Weasleys. Clearly her hatred did not extend to the entire family.

She was sitting in between the twins and was laughing at something one of them had said or done. She looked quite happy.

A glance at the Slytherin table showed that her normal circle of friends looked unworried by this and were talking amongst themselves.

This struck Remus as even more odd considering there was never a time so far where she hadn't had at least one of that circle with her and even when she had one, if she was away, the rest looked quite concerned and could be seen watching her.

A glance at Severus showed the man looked equally unperturbed by this. Remus did not understand what was so different about Grace Potter-Black that not only were people flat out afraid, but teachers went out of their way to ignore things that wouldn't for anyone else.

"Severus, your student stabbed Ronald Weasley a few days ago."

The dark haired man stared at him for a moment before saying carefully, "Of course she did." As if that simply closed the matter. What was going on?

Minerva spoke up from next to him. "Remus…Grace isn't like you expected. Like any of us expected. And she never will be. It will be safer for you if you discard any preconceived notions you had of her. In fact, ignoring her entirely would be a splendid plan.

Remus looked at her oddly and then returned to staring at Grace Potter-Black.

Grace, outwardly, was laughing at Fred explaining about a prank they had managed to pull on Peeves.

Inwardly, she was trying not to scowl. She could feel Lupin's eyes on her again and she was already annoyed given that he had attempted to keep her after class every single time so far.

She frowned finally and leaned into Fred who immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulders and continued on with his story.

Luna, sat across from her, looked at her with sympathy. She knew the constant staring was getting on the darker haired girls nerves. Quite possibly the only reason Lupin hadn't found himself in pain so far was out of loyalty for James and Lily Potter. Though Grace didn't truly see them as her parents any longer, she still acknowledged it and felt loyalty towards them.

Luna glanced over at Susan Bones. Susan had kept the last name Bones when her aunt had married Sirius. Still, though, she regarded Grace as a sister and, when provoked, could be just as deadly as she was. They all could be fairly deadly in their own right, especially if Grace was threatened, but Grace was the definition of silent and deadly. One moment she could be favoring you with one of her beautiful and hard won smiles and the next she would have a dagger buried in you to the hilt.

It wasn't that she was insane, exactly. It was simply that Grace, when still living with Lily's sister and brother-in-law had been badly mistreated. To the point that she now teetered precariously on the edge of sanity and insanity.

The Blacks had taught her to be deadly, but it was her nearly broken mind that allowed her to do it so clinically and efficiently.

The guys of the two groups, which really were one large group, were insanely protective of the girls of the group. However, Grace was the one they all orbited around.

Grace was the one that had caused Sirius to take in Luna last year after discovering that, while her father didn't abuse her, he did neglect her and was a bit off the deep end himself. And not in a good way like Grace was.

So while the man still had official custody of Luna and visited her at the Black residence when he remembered to do so, Luna had slowly adopted Amelia and Sirius as her own parents.

Hannah had followed along with Susan when Susan came into the Black family because that had happened when Grace was eight. Hannah had become good friends with Grace but still she somehow managed to be the farthest removed.

It was much more reminiscent of her being the last one to have joined the group.

Cedric was an odd addition. He had ran into Grace in her first week of second year and had instantly felt protective over the smaller girl.

Shockingly to everyone that knew her, Grace hadn't hurt Cedric for knocking her down or talking to her. That had come as a big surprise to everyone.

In fact, she seemed just as protective of him as she did for Blaise. And that was saying something.

The three Weasleys were an enigma. Ginny had joined after Grace had rescued her in the Chamber of Secrets. Ginny was extremely loyal and had quickly learned that anyone on the side of Grace Potter-Black was immediately given status high enough to surpass whatever their family status may have been.

Fred and George had pranked Grace and when they were subjected to a two week long constant prank session as the victims courtesy of Grace and Sirius, they had bowed down in the middle of dinner one night and declared themselves unworthy and Grace the master.

Grace had simply giggled and nodded. Which had honestly scared people more than her violence.

Hermione had become involved after the Troll Incident of their first year and had only become closer since then when she realized Grace presented a challenge for her for the top of year spot.

Neville had always been involved as the Potters, Blacks and Longbottoms were part of the Great Alliance and did, in fact, head the alliance together. So that was a given thing although no one knew why Grace seemed so protective over him.

Padma Patil and Terry Boot were the real surprises. No one knew how they had joined the group, not even the group themselves.

All they knew was that one day last year, Grace had gotten up, walked over to the two and brought them back within the folds of the group and they had stayed ever since.

Now, though, Susan seemed to nod with Luna in unspoken agreement. Grace was getting more and more irritated by the day and Remus Lupin was unknowingly screwing himself over.

And it would be a very funny show.

AN: This fic is likely to have several companion pieces written for it. I did, in fact, alright write one. I'm debating on what I should title it when I post it.


	2. Protecting Flitwick

AN: Just finished chapter one and we now dive straight into chapter 2 while the muse is still hot.

For anyone interested, I have oneshots I will be posting under the title The Black Princess Oneshots that accompany this story. Not necessary reads but may provide wanted information later on. They won't necessarily end up going in order but will be written and posted as they come to me.

* * *

Grace was scowling before she ever neared the defense classroom and those with her looked uneasily at each other.

The Slytherins were uneasy because they had seen the damage done to the common room that morning before an upper year had been able to repair it while Blaise calmed Grace down.

Hermione and Neville, since this class was with the Gryffindors, were uneasy because they knew that Grace had already been royally ticked off by Lupin over the past week and the weekend filled with him staring at her had done absolutely nothing to calm her infamous temper.

Quite the opposite, in fact.

Grace, if one was close enough to her, could be heard growling the closer they got to the classroom. Of course, only Blaise could hear this. She had her arm looped through his and he could, thus, also feel her increasing tenseness. He laid his opposite hand over her own, where it rested on his forearm, reassuringly.

They finally entered the classroom and Blaise and Grace took the desk farthest from where Lupin would be. Hermione and Neville sat across the aisle to their left, Daphne and Draco sat directly in front of them. Theodore and Pansy sat in front of Hermione and Neville and the rest of the Slytherins filled in the spots in front of them. This left the opposite side of the classroom for those Gryffindors not within their circle.

Blaise could easily see that it was all Grace could do to withhold her temper at the closeness she was once again forced into being with Lupin.

* * *

"There's an incantation. The word is Riddikulus. Can anyone tell me what that incantation is meant for….Miss Potter-Black?" Lupin worded the question and then aimed it at his student. He either didn't see or ignored her look of death.

"A boggart." She said shortly.

"And what is the best way to get rid of one?"

"Laughter." The glare was turning icy.

"Have you ever been faced with one?"

"Yes." Now the glare was downright glacial and, though to anyone else it would look like a comforting touch, Blaise had his hand on her arm to restrain her from attacking the teacher.

"And what was your boggart? What did it change into with the incantation?"

"I should think that is something personal, professor."While Blaise was stopping her from a physical attack, she could still cut just as nicely with only words.

"Surely your boggart couldn't have been much different than anyone else's, Miss Potter."

"It's Potter-Black, and you would do well to remember that. As for the decision on whether my boggart is different and more personal than anyone else's, that is for myself to decide and myself only." She bit out.

Then she jerked from Blaise's hold and left the classroom as an icy chill fell over the room.

Blaise let out a soft sigh and began packing her things away. He finished just as the bell rang and disappeared from the room with the other Slytherins as Lupin called for one of them to remain.

Blaise and the others met up in the corridor, one floor down.

"Who is going after her?" Daphne said in a light voice.

"No one. I can almost guarantee she is calling Sirius as we speak and none of us want to be in the middle of the war the Blacks will wage against Lupin."

"And with her skipping her other classes?"

"I can almost guarantee she will be in the charms classroom before we ever get there." Draco said in a very sure tone.

The others nodded and headed to the charms classroom.

* * *

Sure enough, they walked in to find Grace sat in a desk in the middle of one half of the room. Susan and Hannah were on the same side, both in the row in front of Grace but turned around to speak with her softly.

Grace showed none of the tension that would usually still be displayed from the previous class as Blaise and Draco sat down on either side of her. Blaise looked questioningly at Susan.

"Sirius will be here at dinner to cause a scene about Lupin questioning his heiress of something so personal in nature."

A small smile played on Grace's lips at her sister's words and she leaned against Blaise's side. His arm went around her immediately and he thanked Merlin once again for gifting him with this beautiful, brilliant and dangerous woman.

Even at thirteen, the older years of their house did not challenge her in the slightest. Whether that was out of respect or outright fear, no one seemed to care. Least of all Grace.

"Well my little kitten, are you in a better mood otherwise?" Blaise murmured softly into her hair.

Grace nodded and grasped his free hand in her own, cuddling up to his side. "Yes Blaise. I'm sorry for losing my temper." She said quietly.

Once upon a time, the first time people had heard her apologize to Blaise for her temper, everyone had been shocked.

Now, however, it was well known that the only people she ever apologized to were her group and if it was for her losing her temper on someone else, the apology would be made to Blaise.

Blaise never acted like it was necessary. Just like now. Instead of making a big deal out of her supposed weakness, he smiled gently and brushed his fingers through her hair.

For all that she would apologize to him, he knew she tried to hold her temper every time and especially when he would put his hand on her. Sometimes, the Black temper would get the better of her. He did not condemn her for that.

Flitwick came into the room in his usual happy spirits. "Good morning class! How is everyone?"

"Good morning Professor Flitwick." Grace was the one to greet first. Her face and voice both held a smile.

While she liked Severus, she adored Flitwick. No one quite knew if it was his class or the man himself but she was always happy for Charms class.

"Good morning, Grace." That was the other thing about the man. In the first week he had stumbled over the heiress' long family name so she had instantly given him permission to be more familiar and use her first.

Flitwick had known what an honor that was in pureblood circles considering he was considered a half-breed. Was considered that because halfway through their first year at Christmas break when she, Susan, Luna and Blaise had been in the Ministry, she had heard something she had taken an immediate disliking to.

Blaise remembered it like it was yesterday.

 _Blaise, Susan, Luna and Grace had gone with Sirius and Amelia to the Ministry. Sirius and Amelia needed to go to her office for something or other and had given the four kids permission to explore, knowing they could take care of themselves._

 _Blaise likely wouldn't have come but he had come over for the day early in the morning and the plans had already been made._

 _Grace had slipped her hand into his and they were leading Susan and Luna down a hall towards the Minister's office. Grace had decided she wanted to annoy the man._

 _However, when they got closer, they were walking through the atrium before they would reach the Minister's hall when Grace's hearing zoned in on it._

 _She whipped around and watched with narrowed eyes, the other three turning to watch the same thing she was._

 _A fat toad-like woman was practically screaming in Flitwick's face. "You're nothing but a filthy half-breed! What business could you possibly have at the Ministry?!"_

 _The poor little teacher started to open his mouth to speak when she cut him off again._

 _"No! Filthy half-breeds have no business whatsoever at the Ministry! Leave at once!"_

 _The three teens had been horrified to see the beginnings of tears in the normally very happy man's eyes but Grace….Grace had flown into an absolute rage._

 _"Mirror call Sirius!" Blaise whispered urgently to Susan as Grace dropped his hand and crossed the atrium quicker than should have been possible without running._

 _"Continue screaming at my teacher and my family will be declaring a Blood Feud on you and your house." Came her dark tone. The other three eleven year olds outright shivered. They had never heard that amount of frigid ice in Grace's voice; not even when her muggle relatives were spoken of._

 _Blaise could hear Susan whispering urgently to Sirius, telling him that Grace was about to murder someone and then the man cursing and saying he was on his way._

 _"Like I'm scared of a little child. You're probably a filthy little half-blood anyways." The woman sneered._

 _Flitwick laid a hand on Grace's arm but it did not good as her fury more than doubled._

 _"What is your name?" Her voice was even colder._

 _"Dolores Umbridge from the Noble House of Umbridge." The woman said proudly and the other three face palmed._

 _"Well Umbridge." Her tone was nasty._

 _Sirius appeared at that moment and seemed to be shocked into stillness by the other three as he watched._

 _"The Most Noble and Most Ancient Houses of Potter and Black declare the Noble House of Umbridge an enemy on this day. One more slight against either house or our vassals will see this declaration change to one of a blood feud where we will demand your absolute life in satisfaction."_

 _The blood had already drained from the toad woman's face but Grace wasn't done._

 _"Professor Filius Flitwick is now under the protection and considered a Vassal of both the Most Noble and Most Ancient Houses of Potter and Black. So I declare it, so mote it be."_

 _Sirius seemed to remember his voice in that moment and stepped forward. "The Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Black's Lord hears his heiress' statement and supports it wholeheartedly." He stated officially. "So I say it, so mote it be."_

 _A bright flash of light was all it took before the magic had settled and Flitwick held the emblem of both Potter and Black houses on his robes._

 _Grace turned her icy stare back to Umbridge after glancing at Sirius. "Leave. Before I demand satisfaction for your slight on a member of my houses."_

 _The woman showed the first brains all day when she turned tail and ran._

 _The other three, plus Sirius, came up to where Grace was fussing over Flitwick._

 _"Are you sure you're alright, sir?" She asked in a very gentle tone that was almost terrifyingly opposite of her previous tone._

 _"Quite sure, Gracie. Thank you." The use of the name that usually only members of her family and friends used had Grace smiling brightly at the man._

 _Blaise wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him._

 _"I think the morning's events have tired Grace out for the day. She used a lot of magic with how bright that light show was." He said with a soft smile at Grace._

 _Grace finally gave in to a yawn she had been holding back. "That's cause I didn't make him a vassal. He is now an official member of the Potter and Black families."_

 _The others looked at her in shock. Not only was it practically unheard of to welcome outsiders into such old families, but it was completely unheard of to do so through magic. Thought to be impossible._

 _The four kids, Sirius and Amelia had gone home that day and Grace had almost immediately fallen asleep on Blaise after they had sat down on one of the couches in the library in front of the fireplace._

 _Sirius had come in an hour later with Amelia and joined the kids. While Blaise and Grace were on one couch, Susan and Luna had taken up residence on either side of them, protective over their sleeping sister and friend._

 _Sirius was the first one to speak. "Do you think she knows how much better standard of life she gave him?"_

 _Blaise looked down at the sleeping girl. "She was taken with him immediately after meeting him. I think she might have an idea that she improved it but I don't think she thought that much into it if at all. This was about protecting him from the bigotry. He was almost in tears, Sirius. That was what really set her off. We could see her hand twitching towards her dagger." He turned a fond look on Grace. "She may be dark and scary but her heart is that of gold for the people she gives it to."_

 _The other four people in the room nodded thoughtfully and the room fell into a comfortable silence._

Flitwick jumped into the lesson and Grace paid avid attention. She was the first one to correctly demonstrate the color changing charm. On Draco's hair.

The funny thing was he hadn't even noticed and she cast it again in the small bunny that lay in front of her before he could notice as Flitwick awarded her fifty points for creativity and a secret smile.


	3. Ready for Christmas Break

**AN: Chapter 3. I was happy that once I started chapter 2, the words and story just came to me and I completed it in no time. Therefore, I'm diving straight into chapter 3.**

Lupin sat beside Severus Snape at dinner with a confused look on his face. The darker man next to him was quietly eating a salad with grilled chicken on it but looked slightly amused.

"Severus. Grace Potter threw a fit in my classroom and stormed out and I haven't heard anything more about it."

"You will." The man said simply, his full attention on his food.

Lupin frowned and looked out over the hall. That happened to be when he noticed that more students seemed to be mixed in different houses today and Grace's group seemed to be at the Gryffindor table today. Both the Slytherins and non Slytherins seemed to be there.

"Why do they look like they're waiting for something?"

Flitwick was the one to answer him. "Because they are. You'll see soon enough."

And he did. Because in that next moment the doors to the Great Hall slammed open and who should appear in the doorway but Amelia Bones-Black and Sirius Black. Both of whom looked absolutely furious.

That explained why Dumbledore was conspicuously gone from the meal. The other teachers knew he always disappeared when something brought the Blacks to Hogwarts.

The fact that parents of her entire group followed them in went large unnoticed as the two Black and the two Malfoys stalked up the hall before stopping in the middle. Conveniently right next to Grace, Susan, Luna, Blaise and Draco as the core of their group.

"LUPIN! How dare you ask my heiress for such personal information and then try to insist she share that with her classmates!" Sirius roared in anger.

Remus rose to try to calm his friend down. "Now Sirius…."

"I don't believe I've given you leave to use my given name, Lupin. You may address me as Lord Black and nothing else."

"Lord Black." Remus gritted out. "It was a class exercise. All of the children will be doing it."

A loud chorus of, "My child will not!" finally brought the attention in the room to the other parents that had accompanied the Blacks.

Severus, Filius and Minerva all seemed to smirk. Aurora Sinistra and several other teachers looked unconcerned. None looked worried or scared aside from Remus Lupin who simply did not know how to react in this situation.

"Sirius, really…"

Sirius raised an eyebrow as Grace stood from her seat, a move that was immediately echoed by her group all around her. She stepped quite neatly in front of Sirius.

"I believe, _Professor_ Lupin, that my father has already instructed you on the proper form of address when speaking to him. As you are speaking to your betters to begin with, you should have already been addressing him as such. To continue to refer to him with such…familiarity…well it will only invite trouble."

Her voice rang out calmly and coldly. She hadn't needed to yell like Sirius had moments before. Nothing she said was said in a manner much louder than her simple speaking voice but it seemed to carry better and hit harder anyways.

"Miss Potter…"

"Heiress Potter-Black, Lupin."

He ignored her. "He isn't your father! Your father is James Potter!"

"My birth father is, yes. That's correct. However, Sirius and Amelia both blood adopted me and as such I am now also a Black. And a Bones for that matter though I fail to see how that's any of your business."

"Your father would be very disappointed in you."

She raised an eyebrow and turned to Sirius. "Daddy, are you disappointed in me?"

"Of course I'm not, poppet. I would never be disappointed in you."

She turned back to Lupin. "Unless you want your life made more difficult than it already will be, I would strongly suggest standing down, _Professor_."

Remus stared at the grouping.

"Miss Potter-Black. This is ridiculous."

"I believe my head of house warned you against such behavior." She said firmly glancing to Severus who gave a short nod. "Then one might wonder why you would persist after being warned."

"I am the adult here!"

Grace rolled her eyes. "Blaise. Bored now." She turned to her friend, effectively dismissing Remus as being beneath her notice and smiled at the darker boy.

Blaise smirked and put an arm around her waist, leading their group, with her, from the hall.

Sirius stared at his one time best friend. "You dug your own grave, Moony." He said simply. He turned and left, taking Amelia with him. The two Malfoys followed immediately after.

At the door, Amelia paused. "Severus. Please inform Albus that Walburga will be here within the next few days to see her granddaughter and to have words with him about his staffing choices."

The Potions Master nodded his acceptance. "Will do."

Then the parents were gone and Remus fell back into his seat next to Severus. Before he could even open his mouth, the dark haired man spoke. "Told you there was always someone stupid enough to provide the rest of us with plenty of entertainment. This time it was you."

Remus just grimaced and turned back to his dinner with a frown. "Why do you all let her run the school so much?"

"We don't. The rest of have earned her respect and pick and choose when we say anything against her. It's simply safer that way. Albus did tell you the background of your position, correct?"

"Uh, the last two professors died in extenuating circumstances."

"Yes, if extenuating circumstances mean Grace Potter-Black brutally murdered them. Then, yes, extenuating circumstances."

Remus blinked and turned to stare at Severus. "Wait…what now?"

"Well, in fairness, Quirrel had the Dark Lord poking out the back of his head. Lockhart just…well he pissed her off and wouldn't keep his hands to himself. And he was incredibly stupid and annoying."

Severus shrugged.

Remus blinked a few more times, horrified by this new knowledge. He had to figure out what to do about this. Her behavior couldn't continue. James and Lily would be rolling in their graves.

&%&%&%&%&%&%

Grace smirked as the group sat in the classroom they had given a makeover to and claimed as their groupwide common room since they were spread across all the houses.

The classroom had once been three different classrooms but with the use of house elves and magic, it had been redone into one gigantic room with several different parts to it. There was a lounge area, a miniature library, a potions lab area, a dueling area and a general "other" area.

Her group was gathered in the room, lounged across the couches, chairs, floor and in some cases each other.

Luna, however, was on her feet dancing around, dragging a slightly unwilling Hermione along with her. The once bushy haired girl hadn't actually been given a choice by the younger girl.

Besides, no one said no to Luna. It tended to upset Grace when she was told no. Grace very much favored her two sisters amongst the group. She adored all of her group, and they knew it, but she had an especially soft spot for Susan with an even softer more indulgent one for Luna.

Grace laughed lightly as Blaise nuzzled her neck gently with Fred copying the action on her other side mockingly. She was draped across both boys, relaxed in their grip.

It was her laugh that drew Luna's attention to her and she reached out and snatched Grace's hand, dragging her to her feet with ease since Grace helped. Grace gave in immediately and joined in Luna's silly and Hermione's reluctant dancing.

Ten minutes later, Grace finally got to sit back down and she dropped right back into her previous place.

Blaise stroked her thigh gently. "Are you calmer now?"

Grace shrugged slightly. "Ready for Christmas break, for sure."

Blaise smiled slightly. "Going to commit murder again this year?"

"I hope not. It's starting to get dull."

Her group burst into laughter while Luna plopped herself right into Grace's lap. She looked at Grace imploringly. "Have you decided on my Christmas present yet?"

Grace flat out smirked. "Why don't you just tell me what it is you're about to ask me for?"

"Well...I was hoping you would try teaching me how to fly better again."

"Happily, little sister. Happily." Grace hugged Luna tightly to her, stroking the younger girl's hair gently.

 **AN: I needed to finish this one up and get it out. It was taking too long as a work in progress.**

 **Next Chapter: A quidditch match, Grace attacks Ron, Remus confronts Sirius, Walburga comes to visit her granddaughter, and maybe a Hogsmeade visit.**


	4. Silver and Green

**AN: Alright, I know what I said was next…it still is. But, first we get insight into what Draco's reaction to his hair was. I actually didn't intend to include this. It was really something I could throw in so I could establish a pattern of Grace doing it. However, thanks to two reviewers who both wanted to see Draco's reaction (** **NESSAANCALIME6913 and jzraael), I felt it quite necessary to now flashback to that moment so we could see it.**

 **Chapter Dedication: Yes it's new. However, in this case very necessary. Inimai paid me what is, in my personal opinion, the highest compliment they possibly could have. Following a recommendation from me they read** _ **The Silent World of Cassandra Evans**_ **by DylantheRabbit, which is actually the story that inspired my Grace and a couple of other stories of mine, they told me they liked my Grace better. Since I quite literally think of DylantheRabbit as a God when it comes to writing psychotic characters, that quite literally made my day. So this chapter is very much dedicated to Inimai!**

 **Onto the story. You've waited more than long enough.**

Grace had just finished casting a cleaning charm on Draco to clean up the hot chocolate Luna had accidentally spilled while dancing yet again when realization seemed to dawn in his eyes. "Dammit Grace. My hair better not have changed colors again, I swear to Merlin!"

Grace smirked, remembering Draco's reaction to her minor change to the color of his hair in Charms class days earlier.

 _Draco hadn't noticed anything so far and the group was waiting with baited breath. Silent bets were placed through shared looks and no one else in the class would be willing to risk the wrath of Grace to tell the young heir why the rest of the group kept staring at him off and on._

 _Grace smiled innocently when he finally looked at her, curious what their friends were sharing looks and staring at him for. Of course, it being Grace instantly meant that Draco was on red alert._

 _It took to the last five minutes before Blaise finally took pity on his friend and conjured a small mirror, handing it to the other boy._

 _Draco was confused but took it and literally screamed high enough to bust the mirror, a horrified look on his face. One side of his hair was striped with the gaudy Gryffindor colors while the other side was pink and purple._

" _GRACE!" He screeched._

 _Grace burst into laughter and headed out of the room as the bell rang. The group followed with Draco, both trying to hide and beg The Black Princess to fix what she had done._

 _Passing Colin Creevey had Grace literally summoning the boy where she then pointed at Draco. The younger boy took the silent order immediately, snapped several pictures, muttered about getting them to her soon then promptly disappeared._

 _Colin adored Grace but liked that he had never caused her to be angry with him and wanted to keep it that way. The less time spent with her, the less likely to upset her._

Grace smirked—Draco had whined for the better part of two days before she had given in and undone her spell.

"Why so suspicious, Draco dearest?" Grace gave an innocent smile.

Blaise smirked from his usual seat next to her and tapped his wand against Grace's head. She spun to look at him in surprise before fingering her hair. It was now silver with Slytherin green highlights. She paused for a second and the rest of the group waited to see what her reaction would be.

Suddenly her eyes lit up and they all seemed to relax when she didn't explode. "BLAISE YOU'RE A BLOODY GENIUS!" She bounced _excitedly_ and then zipped out of the room.

Draco blinked and then turned to stare at an equally shocked Blaise. "What have you _done?!_ "

Blaise shrugged helplessly.

&%&%&%&%&%

It only took Draco thirty seconds after walking into the Slytherin changing rooms to find out exactly why Grace had been excited. The five other guys that made up the rest of the Slytherin team after Draco and Grace had green and silver hair that matched Grace's in terms of color.

Most of the other teens looked at least slightly disgruntled. The team captain, Marcus Flint, was smirking at Draco.

"Grace get ahold of them?"

Marcus nodded slightly. "She got ahold of our uniforms too. Take a look." The older boy was outright grinning at this point.

Draco crossed to his own locker and pulled his uniform robe out and blinked. What was once a solid green with silver piping on it had a brand new addition. On the back, large and obvious, was a giant Slytherin house emblem which proclaimed him the Slytherin Prince.

"We each have one. Mine says The Sly Captain. The others all pertain to their Quidditch position too. Only yours and hers are different. Yours says that and hers says The Black Princess."

Draco, used to Grace at this point, just silently put his robe on. The other guys followed suit. Just in time, too, as the door was thrown open and a fully dressed and ready Grace appeared. "Come on, children. Time for us to go and play!"

She was speaking in that creepy childlike tone she was so good at, making several of the boys shiver.

Marcus and Draco shared a look before leading the other boys out and following her.

They were playing Gryffindor and Grace wasted no time in tossing herself into the air and flying around the stadium twice at full speed, the rest of the team following her.

Fred was staring at her in undisguised admiration. While they all knew that Blaise was the only guy for Grace…she and Fred had a history of playing when Grace had her bored moments. Blaise had long since accepted it and knew she still loved him but Fred was more willing to experiment with the weird. Thus, she experimented with Fred and if she liked it she would bring whatever it was to Blaise.

&%&%&%&%&%

It had been a long game that day. While everyone had loved the Slytherin's team hair and new uniforms, the game was hard fought on both sides. Especially since Grace wouldn't allow Slytherin's normal rather dirty tactics.

It was four hours into the game before Grace finally found the snitch and she was up against Ginny to catch it.

Grace, easily the better seeker of the pair, pulled ahead and caught it but even with the added 150 points from the catch, Slytherin only won by twenty points.

Grace wasn't particularly pleased by the close call the game was.

That became readily obvious when the group joined together outside of the Slytherin locker rooms, the Gryffindors happy to congratulate their Slytherin friends on a game well played.

Grace had just exited and was talking happily with the three Weasleys she liked when Ron Weasley strutted up to them. He grabbed her wrist from where she had it rested on Ginny's shoulder, attempting to yank her to face him.

"Almost lost did you, Black? Would you have cried to daddy like the princess had to so she could hide from her petty little fear? Like the little bitch you are, huh Black?"

Ron smirked while the rest of the group tensed. Grace was still faced away from the mouthy redhead and he didn't know how deep he had dug himself until she whipped around and by then it was far too late.

No one had even noticed the dagger slipping into his hand until she was already inserting it between the boy's ribs, after which she viciously snatched his arm and promptly snapped his wrist.

Blaise was first to appear next to Grace, tugging her gently into his side. She allowed the movement, locking hate filled eyes on the redhead. Blaise was one of the few of the group who knew exactly what a boggart would turn into for her and was the only one who had seen it happen when she had found a boggart in Grimmauld Place just a year ago. She had sworn him to secrecy about having seen it, though her family knew exactly what her boggart was.

Lupin seemed to choose the worst possible moments to appear. He rounded the edge and was in sight of the entrance to the Slytherin locker rooms before he saw Ron Weasley lying on the ground in apparent pain and with a dagger imbedded in his side.

He strode up to the group and didn't even hesitate before he spoke, his tone automatically accusing.

"Miss Potter! How _dare you attack a student!_ This behavior is absolutely unacceptable! Your parents would be rolling in their gra—"

He didn't even get to finish his sentence before Susan, Luna, Daphne and Draco all snapped their wands out, their magic slamming into his chest without them even muttering a spell. Lupin went flying but was unhurt aside from being winded.

He moved to sit up when a boot pressed into his chest, slamming him right back down into the ground.

Looking up he could see the boot belonged to Daphne Greengrass.

"We have just saved your life, Lupin. See you don't waste that two seconds later." She snarled hatefully.

She spun around and crossed back to Grace, wrapping an arm around her friend's waist and, together with Susan and Luna, led Grace back to the castle.

Though no one else would have noticed it, Daphne's arm around her meant that she could distinctly feel her best friend shaking slightly. At this point Daphne wasn't sure if it was from anger or emotions.

"Susan, call Sirius. Warn him he needs to have a talk with the wolf otherwise we will be and the wolf will be disappearing off the face of the earth if that happens." Grace spoke softly. Her voice contained an edge icier than even her friends had ever heard her hold.

&%&%&%&%&%

Sirius had gotten the message but he needn't have worried because right after he disconnected with Susan there was a knock on his door.

Opening it found Remus Lupin on the other side looking quite irritated.

"Lupin." He said evenly. "Come in, I suppose."

Remus didn't waste any time in all but shoving by his old friend.

Sirius frowned but led the man into the general sitting room where Walburga was sitting, the pair having been talking about Walburga's impending visit to Hogwarts.

"What is _that_ doing here?" She snarled.

"I do believe he is here to talk about one of my daughters." Sirius said offhandedly.

"Grace isn't your daughter, Sirius. She's your goddaughter."

"I don't particularly care about your opinion, Lupin. Grace is my daughter. Both in blood and heart. Now why are you here?"

"Grace attacked Ron Weasley for no reason."

"I somehow doubt that."

"I assure you I saw her silly little dagger in the boy myself."

"No, Lupin. I doubt that it was for no reason. I don't doubt her sticking her dagger into the kid." Sirius smirked slightly while Walburga outright grinned.

Amelia chose that moment to enter the home, coming in from work. "Hello everyone…what is _that_ doing here."

"Way too much time with my mother, love. That is _exactly_ how she asked it. Lupin is here to tell us our Gracie stabbed the Weasley boy."

"Fred or George?" Amelia looked worried.

"Ronald, actually." Remus said firmly, satisfied the director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement would understand how this couldn't continue.

"Oh, him. What's your point?" Her tone was dismissive and Remus blinked. Or maybe she wouldn't. This was ridiculous.

"That kind of behavior cannot continue!"

"What do you expect us to do about it?" Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"Discipline her!"

Sirius barked out a laugh. "Our princess can behave how she likes as long as she behaves herself when we ask her to. Note I said ask, Lupin. We do not order our children. Any of them."

"You mean either."

"No. I mean any. All of her group have become our surrogate children with Susan, Grace and Luna being our actual daughters."

"Luna is Xeno Lovegood's daughter."

"Only for visitation purposes, not that it's any of your business."

"She's not violent, though."

"Luna is just as vicious as Grace or Susan. She just hides it better. Now get the hell out of my house."

"What is your problem, Sirius?!"

"That, Lupin, is information I am not disclosing without Grace's permission. You can return during the Christmas break and we will see if she desires to allow you that knowledge."

 **AN: And now we get part of the setup for Christmas. Also, on the hair…it just seemed like a good outcome for Draco's hair being changed colors and showed Grace's….weird….excitement for things.**

 **Next Chapter: Wally finally visits her granddaughter. Meant that for this chapter but hey it's already longer than last chapter. Also, Hogsmeade visit which takes place weeks after her visit and has Christmas shopping in it. The gang prepares for their holidays and Grace has a moment of clarity where she actually wonders about some things regarding Lupin. Then, of course, he royally fucks that up. But you can't have everything.**

 **I do take suggestions.**


	5. Grace is Happy

**AN: Guys…DylantheRabbit reviews my last chapter. Oh. My. God. I fully admit to screaming in excitement when I read his review. Actually, I screamed the second I saw the screenname. Neighbors came over to check on me….but I digress.**

 **For that reason, I have started work on chapter 5 almost immediately. Thank DtR guys. For real.**

Grace was smirking as she sat down to breakfast the morning following the visit Remus gave Sirius, though she didn't yet know that. It had been late when the man had finally left the Blacks, to their disgust, and Sirius hadn't mirror called anyone to let them know what had happened quite yet.

The reason for her smirk wasn't known to the group. Only Draco knew why his cousin and best friend was in a good mood.

"Grace…why are you so happy?" Hermione was the one to cautiously ask.

"That smile says Dumbledore's going to not like today. Walburga is coming." Daphne guessed with a smile.

Grace nodded her approval and then pointed at the doors just as the hall fell silent. The group looked up to see Walburga Black causing a scene simply by entering the room.

Wally made her way over to her granddaughter, and company, before taking a seat on the bench directly across from Grace after Draco automatically slid down to create a space.

"Grace. How is your morning, dearest?"

Grace looked thoughtful. "It is satisfactory, grandmother. I hope your morning is equally palatable." The pureblood speak was dripping easily from her words and the friends, as always, were astounded when they heard how well their leader could play the game.

Wally smirked. "Well it was going quite well until I entered the hall this morning. In any event, the wolf paid us a visit last night."

Grace's eyes iced over and several people near the group shivered in undisguised fear.

"What did he want?" Her voice was cold and dripping with hatred.

"To speak to Sirius. To insist that your behavior was deplorable and you clearly needed discipline. To complain to us about your stabbing that wretched Weasley boy. And at the end, to know what had happened to change you from how he thought you should be."

"And did Sirius tell him?"

"He invited the wolf to return over the holiday break to find out if you would accept him learning anything. I believe he wanted you to be with him when he told the wolf if you did accept him learning anything."

Grace looked thoughtful before she nodded. "Alright."

Wally clearly wanted to know what Grace was thinking about that but knew Grace wouldn't tell her anything if she wasn't ready to do so.

"So, grandmother, are you intending to speak to Dumbles today?" Grace effectively changed the subject.

"I am. Clearly he needs the fear of the Blacks put back in him."

"Oh I think he is still sufficiently afraid in general. He ran and hid when he knew Sirius and Amelia would be coming to school."

Walburga just smirked. "Yes, but he still chose to hire the wolf."

Grace nodded thoughtfully then turned her attention onto her coffee. She was done speaking.

Blaise silently wrapped a supportive arm around Grace's waist, recognizing her thinking deeply about something.

&%&%&%&%&%

Walburga frowned at Dumbledore as she entered his office.

"Albus. Your hiring skills need some work." She said sternly.

"Mrs. Black, you should be well are that there are a very limited number of people to apply to the position. This year only Remus Lupin applied."

She raised an eyebrow and leaned over the desk slightly, staring him down. "If my granddaughter suffers any bad side effects from him being her, Albus, I promise you will live long enough to deeply regret it. And I mean _any_. If she sheds so much as a single tear, Albus Dumbledore, you will be in for a world of hurt."

Albus seemed to turn even paler if that was possible.

"Do you understand me, Albus Dumbledore?"

The man nodded dumbly.

Walburga smirked and spun around before striding from the room.

Right after the door snapped shut a foul smell began to emit from the front of the headmaster's robes. The portraits of the headmasters and mistresses on the walls were alternately smirking or laughing. Phineas Black was outright grinning at the knowledge that his family was still capable of instilling so much fear.

Fawkes looked like he was trying hard not to find amusement in the situation, though how that was even possible for a bird was anyone's guess. He seemed to genuinely like Grace.

The sorting hat showed no such restraint and was fully animated and laughing it's…well…head off.

Albus Dumbledore grimaced.

&%&%&%&%&%

Grace had escaped the group. Well, escape would have meant she had done it subtly. What she had actually done was threaten them with bodily harm and then stalked off.

She needed to think.

She knew Dumbles wasn't afraid to do whatever he felt necessary to keep control of things. Hell, he had tried to feed a mind-altering potion to her in first year. She hadn't told anyone because she was saving that for a moment when it would be more satisfying to exact her revenge.

So it would seem it was quite likely he had done something to Lupin at some point. What if he had? That would really mean that Lupin wasn't necessarily the person he would have been forced into being and maybe he _would_ have checked on a younger Grace and seen and stopped the abuse she had suffered.

Maybe he still wouldn't have cared.

But could she risk that? Even if she didn't care, she knew it secretly bothered Sirius to lose the last friend he'd had in the marauders because of a man's stupidity. Pettigrew was a traitor and James Potter was dead. All he'd had was Lupin but Lupin hadn't so much as checked on Grace so Sirius had written him off as traitor too.

What if he wasn't?

Grace, for all that she was vicious and violent, felt she owed her father for rescuing her and taking her in as his daughter, even going to far as to use blood adoption.

She frowned. Well that settled it.

During the holidays she would secretly find out once and for all.

And her friends would be helping her to do that.

&%&%&%&%&%

Time seemed to pass quickly at Hogwarts and, though Grace was still determined to find out if it was real or potions induced, Lupin had managed to piss her off yet again.

He had decided they would all be working on a memory spell that would reveal to the caster their worst and best memory. Ostensibly it would help them _understand each other better._ Really Grace was convinced it was payback for the whole boggart situation.

She became even more convinced of that when Lupin didn't want to let her partner with any of the people in her group. He had tried to partner her with _Weasley_ for Merlin's sake!

Of course, being Grace, her reaction to that was simple violence. She had stabbed Weasley, again, and then cast a blasting curse at Lupin before storming out of the room.

She had been furious and the result was an endless stream of pranks ranging from harmless to just shy of deadly and included everything from mildly embarrassing to absolutely humiliating and degrading that had been released on the Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor.

First, he had been given a potion in his breakfast that caused him to "speak" like a Weasel all day. There was no break. Following that beautiful introduction just a day later, Lupin woke up to find himself nude and chained up in the Great Hall with only a sign that declared him a Traitor covering his modesty.

After that they had gotten a bit meaner. One prank resulted in him waking up in the middle of the Black Lake in the grip of the giant squid. Another caused all of his clothing to turn neon pink.

The more recent prank that had hit him caused him to call himself a traitor every other sentence.

Grace was going for the jugular with some of her pranks while others were more mellow so he would have no idea what to expect next.

She figured even if he turned out to be potioned, she likely wouldn't regret the pranks. After all, they were only pranks.

&%&%&%&%&%

Blaise smirked lightly as he glanced at Grace. They were walking side by side in Hogsmeade, the rest of the group having gone off either in pairs or groups. They would all meet back at the Three Broomsticks a bit later and then the girls would doubtlessly go off together.

There was Christmas shopping to be done after all.

Grace already had several packages shrunk into her pocket. They were in Gladrags now and Grace fished a slip of paper from her pocket and handed it to the shop assistant. "These need to be ready by Christmas eve and owled or flooed to Grimmauld Place. The floo address is Pitch Black. They are to be wrapped as several Christmas presents."

"What names?"

"It's all for the same person whose name is unimportant. Just see you stick to colors that work well for males. Nothing gaudy. Top of the line fabric. Money isn't an object as you should know. You will be paid when you floo Pitch Black. Tell Sirius Black that Grace ordered it."

She spun around and dragged Blaise from the shop. "Who is all that for?" He asked curiously. He had seen a glance at the list which included measurements she had somehow gotten for someone. It had be a ridiculously full wardrobe she had ordered.

"Don't worry about it, Blaise." She patted his cheek lightly with her gloved hand. Her own cheeks were an attractive rosy red from the cold and he was sure his matched. "Let's go to Honeydukes so I can order the candies for everyone's presents."

She always gave each of them a good amount of candy along with whatever else she could find for presents. She adored giving presents to her friends and family.

This year that included what she felt would be an interesting surprise for all of them.

&%&%&%&%&%

All of their names were down to go home for the holidays. Though, most of them weren't actually going home. Only Luna, Susan and Grace were technically going home. Everyone was spending their holidays at Grimmauld Place that year.

Sirius had hesitated when he knew Blaise was coming but ultimately gave into Grace as he always had and likely always would. It surprised no one.

They weren't bothering to bring anything since they had finished their holiday assignments already and each one had their own room at Grimmauld Place. Only brooms were coming with, shrunken and put into the pocket of each owner.

Grace had one hand resting lightly on Blaise's as he escorted her to the carriages to head for the Hogwarts Express.

The rest of the group followed along behind them as always before they all piled into one carriage after Grace entered and effortlessly expanded the interior so they would all fit more than comfortably.

"Excited for the holidays?" Daphne asked Grace with a bright smile from her place to the girl's right.

"You have no idea. I think it shall be a very interesting break, filled with fascinating surprises."

They all shared looks. The words seemed fairly happy coming from Grace and that, in itself, was an ominous sign of things to come.

"Good interesting?" Luna asked hesitantly.

"I think it will be good." Grace agreed. She turned her attention on Blaise and shocked them all when she kissed him lightly. She _never_ initiated physical contact. What exactly was so special about this break?

Luna and Susan both shared a different look than the friends as a whole had shared. Someone needed to call Sirius and warn him his heiress was in a very weird mood.

Neither wanted to be the one to do that.

Blaise, for his part, grinned stupidly and squeezed her hand lightly before pulling her to nestle more comfortably into his side. If that was a sign of things to come, it would be a very _fascinating_ break indeed.

 **AN: I'm still on a high from that review.**

 **Next chapter: Christmas Break! Grace's weird peaceful mood continues, terrifying them all. Grace disappears for a few hours and no one knows where she went. When she returns she's** _ **happy**_ **and won't tell anyone why or where she went. As Christmas itself approaches they finally learn where she went and what happened while she was there. And it only serves to confuse them even more.**


	6. Healing of the Heart

**AN: Well, everyone, we are reaching chapter six now…I'm feeling pretty motivated to finish this story considering how many people seem to enjoy it. And good news for those that do: by this time next week I will have both a desktop computer as well as a laptop and so I'll have a lot more time to be able to write!**

 **I bet you all really want me to shut up and get on with the story writing…alright. Without further ado, I bring you chapter 6!**

* * *

 **Healing of the Heart**

As the train rolled to a stop at King's Cross station, the majority of the group were still busy trading looks over Grace's behavior. Most because Blaise was still on a weird high from Grace having initiated contact and Luna didn't seem at all bothered by it.

Probably because she was acting weirder in an almost mirror way of Grace. She was flopped out across Neville.

Grace finally looked up from the book she held as the train stopped completely. "Blaise, be a sweetheart and tell Sirius I'll be along later?" She looked innocent.

"Where are you going? You know he'll ask."

"Yes I do. You can tell him I went to find peace." Grace pecked him on the cheek and then disappeared out the compartment door.

Susan and Luna shared a look and shot to the door to check. She was already gone—disappeared as they knew she would have.

"Who thinks this Christmas is going to very interesting. Show of hands." Hermione commented in a slight drawl she had picked up after becoming friends with Draco.

Not a single hand was left down although Luna commented in the omniscient voice that she didn't use very often anymore. "Interesting…but good. There's healing."

She gave them all an easy smile and accepted Blaise's offered arm. In absence of Grace, he was her protector. They all knew that.

The group shared a sigh before disembarking and flooing directly off the platform to Grimmauld Place. Sirius and Amelia both met them at the floo and both frowned slightly when they realized the noticeable absence of the group's leader. "Where's Grace?" Sirius asked in confusion and a bit of worry.

"She said to tell you she went to find peace and will be along later."

Sirius nodded, still frowning. Amelia just groaned. Last time Grace mentioned obtaining peace it had meant a lot of paperwork for her and breaking a few laws to keep Grace from being brought into anything. She muttered darkly under her breath and disappeared towards the kitchen, likely intending to get a cup of tea.

Sirius waved the group off. "Dinner's at six as usual. Welcome home everyone."

There were shared smiles. It was good to be home. They all headed upstairs to their own rooms before meeting back up in the sitting room that Grace had created for them on the top floor.

Draco was the first one to break the silence. "Where do we think she went? What are our thoughts? Do we do anything or simply wait?"

Daphne answered, her insight the best in this case as Grace's closest female friend. Even Susan, close as the pair were, couldn't quite get into Grace's mind the way Daphne could. Luna could only match the moments of happy crazy whereas Daphne could match them all.

"I believe…she went to do something that will bring peace to her heart if not her mind. Therefore, it's likely something to do with her biological parents. I think Lupin being near her triggered some sort of long locked away emotion regarding the biological parents. As for should we do anything…no. If she wants to tell us, she will. If she had needed us to do anything, she would have said. So, we wait."

The rest nodded in agreement, yielding to Daphne's superior knowledge.

* * *

Grace, meanwhile, had disappeared to the muggle side of the station and made her way out into the wintery air of London. She spoke with a constable who immediately hailed a cab for the dazzling young woman she let him see and she entered the much warmer vehicle.

"Where to, miss?"

"I have a few stops to make before my final stop of the day. Could you accompany me for all of those? I can pay you quite well and believe I'll find myself needing some assistance being as some of it could get quite heavy. I would pay you extra, of course."

The man politely nodded and smiled. "Of course, miss. It's not all that busy a day anyway, surprisingly."

Grace just gave him her heiress smile in return. "Lovely. I'm quite glad to know I won't be keeping you from anything. My first stop needs to be a quite high-end electronics store if you could manage."

The man nodded again and turned on Christmas music before beginning to navigate the cab through the busy streets.

It was ten minutes before he parked outside an electronics store, getting out and opening her door before offering his arm like a gentleman his own mother had raised him to be. Not that she knew that.

She smiled and accepted it and allowed him to lead her inside.

In the short space of an hour, the man, who she learned was named Jake, and she had selected several computers, a good sized flat screen tv that he mentioned would barely fit in his trunk even though his cab was larger than the average one and an actual plethora of accessories, movies, games and gaming systems to accompany those things.

Jake's eyes had bugged out at the total but Grace didn't even blink, swiping her Gringotts card without hesitation.

After loading everything in, and Jake did not understand how it had all fit into the trunk with room to spare—Grace wasn't mentioning her subtly performed wandless magic—he found himself driving her to an expensive beauty store.

Grace had absolutely made the sales assistant's day, given the girl worked on commission, when she bought one or two of absolutely everything they sold. All of that was quickly packed away in an ever more confused cab driver's cab.

They got back in and he gave her a weak smile. Anywhere else?"

"Yes. Just one more place. I need a car lot. Expensive one."

He shook his head in confusion but drove her wear she wanted. It wasn't long before she was signing papers for their most expensive vehicle to be delivered and signed into someone else's name. She had two hours to beat it there after paying extra for express delivery.

After that she had Jake dropping her off at a hotel where he helped her transfer all her purchases to the room she rented after she went through the front desk to get the room.

She overpaid him by a lot, purposely, and just wished him a Merry Christmas when he hesitated to accept it.

Grace smiled slightly when she was finally totally alone and pulled out the wrapping paper she had bought on a small side stop.

Soon enough, everything was wrapped.

* * *

"It's been four hours. Do you suppose she's alright?"

"Draco stop being a mother hen." Blaise smirked at his friend.

"Shut up, Blaise. You're just as worried about her as I am and you know it!"

Blaise shrugged. "Grace can handle herself just fine though and I trust her to know if she needs help."

The rest of the group shared a nod here and there and they settled back into the smaller conversations they were holding before Draco's mothering question interrupted.

* * *

Grace frowned slightly as she stood in front of a house that even now, years later, she remembered so vividly.

She sighed softly before nodding to the new cab driver who gave a return nod before carefully moving everything from the cab to the cleared off front porch for her. She paid him, again a more than generous tip, and wished him a Merry Christmas before he left. He had returned the greetings.

Another sigh later and she knocked confidently on the door.

It was answered by her aunt.

"You. I thought you left for good?"

"And I have. I only returned to bring Christmas presents."

"Why?" Her aunt asked suspiciously.

"They're not poisoned or magical. Calm down. Can I come in?"

Her aunt looked indecisive for a moment before Petunia finally nodded and stabbed back to allow Grace to bring herself and all of the packages inside. And there were a lot of them.

Grace followed her aunt into the livingroom, mostly just surprised the woman was being so civil.

"Who is this?" Her uncle asked when Grace entered the room behind Petunia. Grace raised an eyebrow but couldn't bring herself to be truly surprised that the man didn't recognize her. Not only was she older and slightly changed from the blood adoption years ago, but he had never spent time near her unless he was beating her even when she had lived there.

"Hello Uncle." She greeted in her musical voice. The same voice that was feared by so many even when she was being nice. Especially when she was being nice.

"Freak. What are you doing here?"

"I've brought presents. I'm only staying long enough to see you open them and then I shall be leaving again, don't worry. Where is Dudley?"

"Dudley is at Piers' house. I'll call over and have him come home to open presents."

Her aunt really was being shockingly civil. Bordering on friendly even. Freaky.

Petunia left the room, presumably to call their son home.

Grace glanced at her uncle. "Would you be willing to help me bring everything in here? It's stacked in the front hall and will likely be in Dudley's way otherwise."

"I suppose. No funny business."

Grace gave a polite nod and headed back for the hall.

* * *

Sirius burst into the room rather suddenly, causing heads to swivel towards him.

He visibly deflated a second later. "She's still not back?"

"Sirius, I have a good feeling she will be using the front door, not teleporting in out of nowhere." Daphne rolled her eyes with a smirk.

Sirius had the decency to look chastened. "Right…well…I….carry on." He disappeared rather rapidly and the group just smirked at each other.

Hermione frowned slightly. "She's been gone for ages."

"She's fine." Blaise rolled his eyes. "Stop worrying so much. Worry for whoever she's gone to see. They're likely quite bloody by now.

* * *

Grace smiled politely as she accepted the mug of hot chocolate from her aunt. She had come to the conclusion that they were being polite because she wasn't staying and had brought presents.

"Thank you, Aunt Petunia."

"How is school?" Her aunt asked politely.

Vernon hesitated at the question like he wanted to snap over it but stayed silent, allowing her to answer the question, even though Grace was absolutely sure he really did not want her to.

"School is fine. Kids get cranky, do stupid things, get detention." She smirked slightly. "Severus says to tell you hi if I see you again."

"Severus…who?"

"Snape."

Her aunt paled slightly. "Uh, great. Tell….tell him hi back if you would."

"Of course I will, Aunt Petunia." Grace smiled her normal society smile. "I would love to."

Her aunt nodded weakly.

Collectively, the three turned toward the hall as they heard the front door open and bang shut. Dudley waddled into the room moments later.

"What do you want mum? Who's the bird?"

Grace used every ounce of her hard gained society mask to force back the choking cough that wanted to come at her cousin's question.

"Dudley, this is Grace. You remember her? Your cousin?"

"Course I do. Why's she back?"

"I'm not, Dudley. I've brought Christmas presents and I wished to stay to see you and Aunt Petunia open them. I've also got another ten minutes before Uncle Vernon's is delivered."

Dudley blinked. "Presents?" He asked expectantly.

Grace pointed to one of the stacks. "Yours are the red and green ones. Aunt Petunia's are the white and green."

Both her aunt and cousin began opening their gifts, her cousin with much more glee than her calmer aunt.

* * *

Everyone practically broke into a run when they heard the front door shut. They burst into the hall, practically on top of whoever had come in.

Grace blinked. "I take it I've been missed?" Grace asked dryly.

Sirius grabbed her and hugged her tightly. "Where have you been?!"

"Places, Sirius. I'm….happier…now." Grace hugged him back gently before pulling away. She slid out of her coat and hung it on the coat rack before beginning to hum _It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas_ as she headed for the stairs and ascended them.

The groups, both kids and adults, were left staring at her, dumbfounded.

Hermione leaned towards Susan. "Since when does she sing, or even hum, Christmas songs?"

Susan pulled her mouth shut from it's state of her jaw being dropped to answer. "Never. I have _never_ known her to sing or hum _anything."_

Blaise and Luna smirked at each other before sharing a nod. Luna disappeared up the stairs alone.

"Come on kiddies." Blaise clapped his hands. "To the kitchen!"

The friends all shared a confused look before they shrugged and did as directed.

* * *

When Sirius walked into the kitchen an hour later he froze in shock before backing out very slowly and returning a moment after that with Amelia and Walburga who both joined him in shared shock.

The kitchen, previously spotless and remodeled from how it had been only years before, was now covered in flour amongst other things.

As were all of the teenagers.

Grace was in the middle of the group which was sprawled across the table, chairs and floor. There were fresh baked cookies everywhere.

"I just…I don't…Did you at least make gingerbread cookies?" Sirius stammered before finally asking a completely different question than the one he had intended originally.

Grace pointedly lazily at one plate of cookies that sat on the counter.

* * *

 **AN: I apologize now for everyone who wanted to see a bloody massacre at the Dursley's. I know y'all exist cause I'm usually right there with you. However, with Lupin causing Grace to reconnect her thoughts with her biological parents, I wanted her to make an attempt to bridge the rift that existed between the two sisters after Lily was accepted into Hogwarts and left Petunia behind.**

 **Also, if you've read the two oneshots I've posted so far, you may have noticed a part in the first one about Bella. That will come into play quite soon. If you haven't read it, I suggest you do that. 2k+ words. Yay me!**

 **I actually intended this chapter to have more in it but…my word count racked up faster than I originally thought it would so I wanted to go ahead and get this chapter to you guys!**

 **Next chapter: The lead up to Christmas and Christmas Eve. I promise nothing more this time as I already intend quite a few things to happen during that.**


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